


Gemas

by onepageatatime715



Series: Clone-Centric Sides [7]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003) - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Clones, Clones As Big Brothers, Family, Fluff, Hair, Hair Braiding, Mandalorian Culture, Mando'a, Overprotective clones, Sibling Bonding, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:28:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26622916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onepageatatime715/pseuds/onepageatatime715
Summary: The clones, contrary to what Republic citizens and politicians believed, were individuals with their own personalities. This had led to many clones personalizing their armor and bodies to distinguish themselves from the many millions of vod’e who looked exactly like them. One of the most popular ways for a clone to distinguish themselves from their vod’e their hair; cutting it, growing it, shaving it, and dyeing it – anything was fair game. But try as she might, Ahsoka couldn’t think of another vod’e with hair like Tup’s.
Relationships: 501st Legion & Ahsoka Tano, Ahsoka Tano & CT-5385 | Tup, CT-7567 | Rex & Ahsoka Tano
Series: Clone-Centric Sides [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1880248
Comments: 16
Kudos: 119
Collections: TexWash's Must Reads and Rereads





	Gemas

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TikaaniNightshade](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TikaaniNightshade/gifts), [sweaterandcoffee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweaterandcoffee/gifts).



> Gemas - Hair
> 
> I promised you all some fluff and happiness after the pure angst that was my Order 66 fic, so here it is. Please enjoy some sibling squabbles, hair styling, and general familial fluff, featuring Ahsoka Tano and the 501st Legion. Though admittedly, this one focuses pretty heavily on Ahsoka and Tup. 
> 
> Gifted to TikaaniNightshade and JediKnightRubyAndClones because I promised them some fluff and happiness after the heartbreak of Manda'yaim.

The clones, contrary to what Republic citizens and politicians believed, were individuals, with their own personalities. This had led to many clones personalizing their armor and bodies to distinguish themselves from the many millions of _vod’e_ who looked exactly like them.

One of the most popular ways for a clone to distinguish themselves from their _vod’e_ their hair; cutting it, growing it, shaving it, and dyeing it – anything was fair game. And while the styles varied, some alterations were more popular than others, like Jesse’s shaved head or Fives’ facial hair.

Another common hairstyle was affectionately referred to as the double stripe; troopers with this particular hairstyle would have all hair on their head shaved, save for two thick, parallel stripes that ran from the front to the back of their head. Commander Gree sported the double stripe hairstyle, forgoing his naturally black hair to dye the stripes red, in honor his _vod’e_ comrades who had perished during the Battle of Tibrin. 

But try as she might, Ahsoka couldn’t think of another _vod’e_ with hair like Tup’s. Tup wore his naturally black hair in a tight top knot. Ahsoka hadn’t given it much thought until he took it down for the first time, shaking his tresses out with something akin to relief after a particularly draining training session.

Ahsoka simply stared.

She had never seen hair like _that_.

Sure, she had seen _hair_. Most humans had it – unless they had the misfortune of being bald (like Master Windu). But most every sentient she knew kept their hair shorter (like Anakin and Obi-wan) or covered (like Master Luminara). Several sentients she knew didn’t even have hair, much like herself.

Tup’s glorious locks fell just past his shoulder, curling wildly from being kept in a tight topknot for most of the day. Several wisps of ebony hair curled wildly around his face, while others had become plastered to the sweat on his face. As he shook his head, his tresses cascaded and curled around his shoulders, glinting like obsidian in the harsh light of the _Resolute_ training salle.

Ahsoka was so transfixed by the spectacle before her – and to a togrutan teen without hair, it truly was a spectacle – that she didn’t notice the other _vod’e_ slowly becoming aware of her fixation.

“What are you looking at, _vod’ika_?” Fives asked. Beside him, Kix and Jesse were watching their _vod’ika_ with similar expressions of amusement, though Fives was the only one incapable of concealing his shit-eating grin.

Ahsoka snapped to attention, looking around wildly for any possible excuse.

Anything other than “I was distracted by Tup’s hair”.

She gazed at Rex pleadingly, but her _ori’vod_ just laughed, his eyes twinkling with mischief and mirth.

“ _Tup’ika_ does have beautiful hair,” Rex conceded placatingly, finally cluing Tup into the nature of his _vod’e_ ’s teasing.

 _“Karking aruetii_ ,” Ahsoka mumbled in _Mando’a_.

“Who taught her that?” Rex groused immediately, turning to face Fives with a glower. At the sight of Fives’ expanding grin, Rex launched himself at the ARC Trooper, cursing ferociously as he chased him down.

“Stop teaching her more _karking_ phrases to insult me with, you _kriffing shabuir_!” Rex yelped, tackling Fives to the ground. As if he himself wasn’t currently cursing like a nat-born Mandalorian right before her very eyes.

With the others distracted by the ongoing tousle between their _vod’e_ , Tup shuffled closer to Ahsoka, his vice low.

“Do you really like my hair?” Tup asked curiously.

Ahsoka nodded, a blush rising in her cheeks.

“It’s – well, I’ve never seen anything like it,” Ahsoka admitted sheepishly. “It’s beautiful.”

Now it was Tup’s turn to flush as he ran an abashed hand through his hair.

“Do you think,” Ahsoka paused, gathering her wits. “Could I – could I maybe touch it?”

Tup breathed out a short laugh.

“Yeah, _vod’ika_ ,” Tup agreed. “Just… not right now? Let me wash it first – it’s all sweaty and greasy right now…”

“Greasy?” Ahsoka queried, crinkling her nose slightly.

“ _Kark_ ,” Tup laughed. “Not like you’re thinking – I always forget that you don’t have hair. It’s not like engine grease or something. Just natural grease, I guess, from my skin.”

Ahsoka nodded slowly, not really understanding at all.

Hair was strange.

~~~

When Tup emerged from the ‘fresher he found Ahsoka waiting for him on the bunk she had unofficially claimed as her own, quilt slung around her shoulders, datapad in hand as she waited for him. He balked slightly – despite her earlier interest in his hair, he hadn’t exactly expected her to just be waiting for him.

“Is now okay?” Ahsoka asked quietly.

Tup shrugged, plopping down on the durasteel floor of the barracks in front of her, so that the togruta could easily access his head despite her shorter stature. Most of their _vod’e_ were still out – either watching Rex and Fives pummel each other to oblivion in the training salle, on duty, or grabbing food in the mess. Those that were in the barracks were either asleep, or largely ignoring their surroundings in favor of other activities.

When Ahsoka didn’t immediately reach out, he glanced over his shoulder to find her watching him – waiting for his permission.

“Yeah, _vod’ika_ , now is okay,” Tup reassured her.

The togruta flashed him a brilliant smile.

Her first touch was tentative – barely more than a light running of her fingers over his hair. When Tup didn’t pull away, she pushed harder, gently dragging her nails across Tup scalp as she ran her fingers through his hair.

Tup wasn’t unused to others touching his hair – his _vod’e_ often pulled and tugged at it, and Fives seemed to enjoy twirling around his fingers. He was simply unprepared for the _gentle_ in the way Ahsoka was touching his hair. Tup briefly wondered if he had bitten off more than he could chew.

“It’s very soft,” Ahsoka mused as she played with his hair, impossibly gentle as she tousled it. “Do you always keep it in a topknot?”

“Either that, or up,” Tup replied, his voice slightly strangled.

“Senator Amidala always has the most elaborate updos,” Ahsoka said conversationally. “It’s almost always up in some kind of braid or twist – or covered with some ridiculous headpiece!”

“It’s easier to manage, when it’s up,” Tup agreed. “Keeps it out of the way.”

Ahsoka hummed thoughtfully before speaking, still toying with Tup’s hair.

“Could I try something?”

Tup nodded slightly, keeping his movements small to avoid accidentally tugging his hair too hard.

The two fell into a companionable silence, Tup lulled into a doze by Ahsoka’s deft and repetitive movements over time. Eventually he became aware that she had stopped moving, and he struggled to open his eyes, blinking blearily.

“Do you have a hair tie?” Ahsoka asked. She sounded pleased with herself.

“What did you do to it?” the trooper asked skeptically, even as he handed over the hair tie. His hair was still on his head, so it wasn’t as though she had done anything permanent.

“It’s called an Alderaanian Braid,” Ahsoka announced proudly. “I looked it up while you were in the ‘fresher – the style is apparently quite popular on Alderaan.”

Tup reached up, doing his best not to look indignant as the gently touched the braid.

“Do you want to see?”

Tup nodded, and Ahsoka picked up the datapad from where she had discarded it earlier, using it to capture a quick photo before passing it to Tup. His hair, from what he could tell, was wrapped up in some ridiculously complicated looking sequence of knots and twists.

“It’s quite simple, actually,” Ahsoka explained, seeing the confusion on Tup’s face. “You divide hair into three sections and add hair to each section as you begin to braid down the head, which makes the hair look like it is weaved together.”

Tup smiled reassuringly at Ahsoka as she spoke. Honestly, he didn’t really care what his hair looked like or what she had done to it, the more he thought about it. He had simply enjoyed her company, and now he was revelling in her excitement and pride about her creation.

She was special, their _vod’ika_.

“ _Gemas_ ,” Tup replied. At Ahsoka’s confused expression, he elaborated. “ _Gemas_ – it means hair.”

“ _Gemas_ ,” Ahsoka repeated, mimicking Tup’s pronunciation of the word - _gey-mahs_. “I don’t suppose that Mandalorians have a word for braid?”

Tup laughed, shaking his head.

No, they didn’t have a word for what she had done to his hair.

Just then, the durasteel doors to the barracks whirred open, revealing a disheveled Rex, a slightly more disheveled Fives, and several of their other _vod’e_ , including Kix, Jesse, and Coric.

At the sight of Ahsoka and Tup – or rather, Tup’s new hairstyle, Fives stopped in his tracks, mouth hanging open.

Ahsoka popped up, moving to stand before Rex.

“Tup taught me a new _Mando’a_ word,” the togruta announced. “ _Gemas_!”

Rex whirled to Fives, pointed an accusing finger at the still flummoxed ARC trooper.

“See? Tup understands what kind of _Mando’a_ to teach her!” Rex accused. “It’s only your _di’kutla shebs_ that keeps teaching her insults and curses.”

Fives finally snapped out of his stupor – though not enough to actually acknowledge Rex’s insult. Instead, he gestured wildly at Tup.

“What did she _do_ to Tup’s hair?!”

**Author's Note:**

> Mando'a Translations: 
> 
> Aruetii - Traitor  
> Ori'vod - Brother  
> Shabuir - Bastard  
> Shebs - Ass  
> Vod - Brother (Plural - Vod'e)  
> Vod'ika - Little Brother/Sister


End file.
